2026 NBA draft thread

[mvossman]

I understand need but any GM doing a deal with Presti or with Brad Stevens better think long and hard.  Even someone with Masai's pedigree.

I have my concerns about Burries, mainly related to not knowing how well he will handle defenses if he is the lead guard . However, I don't see Morez  comparable with the guards in the 9 tier because Morez doesn't have great handles. Hustle undersized centers, who "might" develop into good 3 point shooters are never greater than skilled guards with size, especially if Burries can play the point.  

I'm not saying those types of hustle guys are not valuable, but you can find those types of guys elsewhere. If Morez could initiate the offense like Draymond or if he already had a reliable high volume 3 point % that one could feel very confident about, I could at least see it, but at this point, I don't see him being in that same tier as a Flemings or a Burries.

I agree with this sentiment in general (and have Morez in a tier below the guards) but I think calling Morez a "hustle guy" is doing him a disservice.  I think he might be the best defender in this draft and has BAM upside defensively.

[JamesConway816]

Per Jake Fisher: 

Nate Ament „has emerged as a serious contender“ to be selected at #9 for the Dallas Mavericks

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Dallas is trying to move up from #30

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Burries being „under consideration“ for the Clippers at #5

[KillerLeft]

Per Jake Fisher: 

Nate Ament „has emerged as a serious contender“ to be selected at #9 for the Dallas Mavericks

+

Dallas is trying to move up from #30

+ 

Burries being „under consideration“ for the Clippers at #5

If true, it seems like 1) they're not sure Burries makes it to 9, and 2) they really don't like Flemings as much as some of us do. Oh, well. 

I'm still hoping Brown Jr falls. It's not going to happen, but I can hope.

[hakeemfaan]

Over the last week, the Mavs have drafted Burries and Ament at 9, moved down to get Morez, while trying to trade up for Acuff. Who have I missed?

[Scott41theMavs]

Per Jake Fisher: 

Nate Ament „has emerged as a serious contender“ to be selected at #9 for the Dallas Mavericks

+

Dallas is trying to move up from #30

+ 

Burries being „under consideration“ for the Clippers at #5

Bloody hell. I'd rather the Mavs draft Jeff Ament than Nate Ament at 9 or higher, and I'm not even a Pearl Jam fan.

[Chicagojk]

I understand the frustration with Ament. He is going to need time and the fit with the current team is less than ideal. He also has some bust potential. IMO it is not much different than Brown or Burries.

The upside though is in two years you look back and wonder how a 6’11 skilled wing fell to 9 and now you have two uber tall, ultra talented wings at 21 years old. I get the risk though. If Masai really is going to take the player he thinks turns out the best, Ament should be in that conversation. The beginning could be pretty ugly though

[Scott41theMavs]

I understand the frustration with Ament.  He is going to need time and the fit with the current team is less than ideal.  He also has some bust potential.  IMO it is not much different than Brown or Burries. 

The upside though is in two years you look back and wonder how a 6’11 skilled wing fell to 9 and now you have two uber tall, ultra talented wings at 21 years old.  I get the risk though.  If Masai really is going to take the player he thinks turns out the best, Ament should be in that conversation.  The beginning could be pretty ugly though

That’s the thing. I honestly believe that Ament is going to be a tall version of the hapless Justin Jackson, i.e. when all is said and done not an NBA player at all. But even if he is worth a damn, it will be in year three at the very earliest.

I need a guard. I can deal with an Ament shot if we get him by trade down and also obtain a guard from this class - preferably one of the 5-9 Five, but I’ll settle for Philon, Okorie, or Anderson if necessary (no Stirtz). But if Ament is the only top 25 talent we come away with in this draft, I will wail like Catelyn Stark at the Red Wedding.

[Chicagojk]

That’s the thing. I honestly believe that Ament is going to be a tall version of the hapless Justin Jackson, i.e. when all is said and done not an NBA player at all. But even if he is worth a damn, it will be in year three at the very earliest.

I need a guard. I can deal with an Ament shot if we get him by trade down and also obtain a guard from this class - preferably one of the 5-9 Five, but I’ll settle for Philon, Okorie, or Anderson if necessary (no Stirtz). But if Ament is the only top 25 talent we come away with in this draft, I will wail like Catelyn Stark at the Red Wedding.

Completely fine.  No issue with that take.

[JamesConway816]

I am completely out on Brown Jr. I saw a graph a few weeks ago. One of those with four areas (sry language barrier) where each shows a players impact on his teams offensive / defensive stats. He was a big net negative impact wise on both ends.

The similarities to DSJ are terrifying Imo. I was super high on Dennis but he was equally bad at running a halfcourt set and besides some fun shotmaking and athletic finishes he never actually was or developed into an efficient creator. I fear the same will happen with Brown. On the defensive end I have my doubts as well. Brown is a lot taller but that does not move the needle Imo.

Therefore I have come to terms with Burries potentially being the guy. I am not entirely out on Ament but he is a longshot as well.

All that stuff shows how INSANE it was to crap away their lottery odds last season. You loose 16 out of 18 games at one point only to somehow still end the season with a late lottery pick. Absolute madness. They should fire Riccardi and Kidd again just for how badly this was fumbled (& Finley of course but he is somehow still here)

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Jeremy Woo: Four more players have earned green room invitations for next week’s draft, per sources: Isaiah Evans Allen Graves Ebuka Okorie Dailyn Swain

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[HoosierDaddyKid]

Ian Begley: Knicks had UConn’s Alex Karaban and St. John’s Dillon Mitchell in for a pre-draft workout today, per SNY sources. Knicks have picks No. 24, No. 31 and No. 55 in next week’s NBA Draft.

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[HoosierDaddyKid]

Cody Taylor: Sources: The Lakers hosted a workout on Monday with the following prospects: Oscar Cluff, Purdue; Josh Dix, Creighton; Roddy Gayle Jr., Michigan; Nate Johnson, Kansas State; Tarris Reed Jr., UConn; Kowacie Reeves Jr., Georgia Tech

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[HoosierDaddyKid]

Speaking of the draft, NBA executives who’ve spoken with HoopsHype project the Hawks to select either a point guard, with one of Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff, and Kingston Flemings expected to be available, or Michigan 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara with the No. 8 pick, as previously noted. Lastly, the Hawks have explored the possibility of moving up from their No. 23 pick in the draft, league sources told HoopsHype.

HoopsHype

[Chicagojk]

With that being said, my clear preference is Wagler, Acuff or Flemings at 9 with either a slight trade up at 30 or adding another mid to late 20s pick.

If we did that I would be fine bringing back most of the rest of the team if no other clear upgrade present themselves. Use it as an evaluation stage.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

With the draft less than a week away, the Bulls have signaled a willingness to move up from the No. 15 pick, according to NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype. Chicago also has significant cap space this summer. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Bulls will be looking to make a big splash in free agency. As Chicago embarks on a rebuild, the Bulls are open to absorbing contracts with their cap space in exchange for draft pick compensation, HoopsHype has learned.

HoopsHype

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Art Cummings: The Utah Jazz are looking at Cam Boozer hard per Tim MacMahon via the Hoop Collective Podcast. He mentioned that Cam Boozer and Jaren Jackson Jr are a potential great complimentary duo in the future. Cam’s elite rebounding helps JJJ and JJJ’s elite rim protection helps Cam.

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[Chicagojk]

Vecenie has Mavs taking Burries at 9 and Evans at 30 in his latest mock.


Although I take all of these rumors at face value now. It seems like one starts and everyone jumps on it and says that is what they are hearing.

https://x.com/mavsfilmroom/status/206756...83833?s=46

[Smitty]

Vecenie has Mavs taking Burries at 9 and Evans at 30 in his latest mock.


Although I take all of these rumors at face value now.  It seems like one starts and everyone jumps on it and says that is what they are hearing. 

https://x.com/mavsfilmroom/status/206756...83833?s=46

Perfectly reasonable to assume the Mavs might have a Wing/Big rated higher than the last of THE5 guards that fall to 9. Burries is the last one standing more times than not. If they aren't as high on him as Rich Paul wishes, then it's likely they look at trade back options as well as picking someone like Ament/Yaxel/Mara/Johnson/Carr instead. BPA for us fans are likely different than BPA of our front office. We see it every draft.

[Smitty]

I'm watching the Locked On mock draft for their entire network.  The top four and Brown, Wagler, Acuff and Flemings were chalk for the first 8.

Dallas traded down with OKC, getting 12, 17 and taking Isiaih Joe into their exception.  OKC took Burries at #9.

Giannis was traded to Golden State, so Milwaukee ended up with 10 and 11 and took Yaxel and Carr.

Dallas took Morez Johnson at 12 (I'm not sure Johnson isn't better than Burries...and I like Burries).

Miami, Charlotte, Chicago and Memphis went Philon, Mara, Quantance and Ament at 13-16.

Dallas then took Ebuka Okorie at 17.  Stirtz and Swain were the other options they considered.

At 30, Dallas took Koa Peat.

Makes sense on some level. Not what I would do. Even in a trade back, I would probably pick different guys. I have Morez at 12, but Okorie at 19, and Peat at 31 on my board. But my rankings are irrelevant. The thought of OKC trading up for yet another Guard feels unlikely. Yes, Burries is their type, but that's a lot of mouths to feed in the backcourt. Maybe, and this is probably wishful thinking, Rich Paul does have some pull to get Burries to the Mavs in a trade back to 12. Similar to the Lively draft.

I'm sure all kinds of scenarios are being talked about leading up to the draft. The difference for me is my confidence in the front office to be prepared and make informed decisions. We have professionals in the room now...

[DanSchwartzgan]

If Masai really is going to take the player he thinks turns out the best, Ament should be in that conversation.  The beginning could be pretty ugly though

This should absolutely be the mindset, whether it's Ament or someone else.  We have too little long-term talent to get pigeon-holed into taking a guard just because mock drafts and current positional need would point in that direction.  There are other ways to get guards and we have to have a vision for players beyond what they will do in 26/27.  

With that said, if you study drafts, there is a disproportionate amount of failures in the 6-9 range.  Once you get past that point, teams will take someone with one sure-fire NBA skill and hope they can grow other parts of a players game.  But at 6-9 the tendency is to take upside guys who have higher ceilings.  But, they also have lower floors than the guys taken in the top 5.  You have to be right if you are taking the gamble.  

One thing about Ament...I wonder if Risacher isn't going through the same "ugly" that you'd expect Ament to go through his first two years.  Which of them projects to be better?  Would we rather have Gafford/Ament (if that is what Masai decides to do) or Morez/Risacher (especially if the latter means moving from #30 to #23)?  The world has seen Risacher score 30 points in an NBA game (4 times).  We have a much better idea what is possible with him than we do with Ament.